


Kissing Away The Pain

by SymphonicFantasia



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bruises, Fluff, M/M, Post S2EP8, Scars, Shiro kissing Keith's bruises, brief mention of nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 23:33:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10398660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SymphonicFantasia/pseuds/SymphonicFantasia
Summary: “Does it still hurt?” Shiro asked, his voice still quiet.Keith’s grip on Shiro tightened. He turned his head, keeping his gaze on the floor. He can’t bring himself to say it. He can’t bring himself to say what he wants Shiro to know.No, but the way you’re looking at me stings like hell.“Keith…”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a drawing by [sun_rising_god](https://twitter.com/sun_god_rising) AGAIN because I love their artwork so much. Retweet it [here](https://twitter.com/sun_god_rising/status/832803777157607427) and love it because I'm still crying over it.

Peeling off the Blade of Mamora suit was painful. It’s tighter than the Paladin’s flight suit so it clung to his injuries. Dried blood stuck to the suit and pulling the fabric away brings tears to his eyes. It’s a sharp stinging sensation that disappeared in seconds, but a feeling that lasted long enough.

Stark naked, Keith looked at himself in the mirror of his room. He looks worse for wear, worse than he’s looked after fights with the Galra. He wasn’t above getting in fist fights before the Garrison. He knew how to defend himself. But it’s been so long since he’s seen himself like this.

Raising a hand, he brought it to a cluster of bruises near his hip. The area was tender to the touch and he winced from the contact. His injuries don’t require him to spend time in the healing pod. Even if they did, he would turn it down. Somehow, he feels like he deserved this. He feels like he deserved this because of the newfound blood that now runs through him. As much as there is proof that not all Galra are bad, it still makes him feel a certain way.

His eyes wander to his scar. The first scar he’s gotten since this all began.

Keith traced over it with his fingers. It doesn’t hurt anymore. He made sure that it wouldn’t. He had taken a medical salve from the med bay a long time ago to treat injuries he didn’t want the others knowing he gotten from training. It’s just strange to see his body permanently injured in this way.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn’t stay in this room.

After getting dressed, Keith left his room. Castle Lion was quiet. Everyone was asleep in their beds to prepare for the meeting tomorrow. The meeting that might help them fight Zarkon and help them _win_. To think that this would all be over in time. Things would fall back into a sense of normalcy. If they even knew what that word _meant_ anymore.

He rubbed at his face as he walked. He didn’t care where he was going so long as it was getting him to move. So long as he could distract himself.

“Keith.”

The way his name is uttered so softly is like a double-edged knife. It’s pleasant to hear, but it’s from the one person he isn’t ready to see just yet. Not right now. Not until morning.

Yet still, he turned around and stared at Shiro. Shiro hasn’t moved from his spot at the end of the hall. Keith can’t help the feeling of tension coming between them. It’s small, but it’s there. And it hurts.

When Shiro finally does walk towards him, Keith has to force himself to remain still. Shiro isn’t here to hurt him. He’s not the cruel hologram version of himself. This Shiro would never hurt him. It just took Keith a while to remember that.

A strong hand cupped his face and he found himself leaning into the touch. Shiro’s thumb stroked his cheek and he feels all right. Right now, he felt like nothing could harm him if it tried. But then he looked at Shiro’s face and the feeling is gone. He can’t tell for certain, but he swears it’s a look of pity. A look he never wanted to see on the one he loved.

Shiro’s hand moved to his shoulder and pulled down the collar of his shirt. The action made Keith bring up his hand to his shoulder and grip it tightly. The collar stretched out until it almost reached his bicep. He doesn’t want Shiro to see it. He doesn’t want him to ask about it. But of course, when did the universe give him anything that he wanted?

“Does it still hurt?” Shiro asked, his voice still quiet.

Keith’s grip on Shiro tightened. He turned his head, keeping his gaze on the floor. He can’t bring himself to say it. He can’t bring himself to say what he wants Shiro to know. _No, but the way you’re looking at me stings like hell._

“Keith…”

His grip tightened on Shiro’s shoulder. Keith hadn’t meant to say anything. The words tumbled out of his mouth without his consent. Word vomit was one of those things that he fell victim to too often. Unfortunately for him, it was always around Shiro. Things he always wanted to tell him always came out without Keith even trying.

“It’s nothing. I should go.” Before he gets two steps away from Shiro, he has a grip on Keith’s wrist and holds him in place. Keith can’t bear to look him in the eye. Part of him is afraid to see what the expression on his face is now. It could still be pity and he doesn’t want to see that look on his face any more.

Shiro pulled him closer until they’re flushed against each other. He pressed his face into his hair. Keith melted into him. Shiro’s warmth always made him feel safe. His hands shook as he wrapped his arms around his waist, putting all his weight on the bigger man.

“I’m sorry,” Shiro whispered. “I hadn’t… I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay,” Keith returned. He pressed his face into Shiro’s shoulder, his grip tightening around him.

Shiro kissed at his temple and made his way down his face and neck. Keith’s breathing hitched as warm lips pressed into his collar bone. His shirt was pulled down again, exposing the new scar once more. Shiro kissed along it, tracing the jagged lines with his lips. It was still sensitive and every touch had him gasping.

He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to feel this kind of kindness from Shiro. The Galra had taken so much from him. A year from his life and his right arm gone because of them. While Keith isn’t responsible for it, and while there are some good hearted Galra within Zarkon’s ranks, he still felt like he shouldn’t have it. Shiro’s attention and love could go to someone more deserving. Like Allura, or Lance, or anyone else.

Not Keith, though. Never Keith.

But those thoughts scattered like spores from a dandelion when Shiro moved back to his neck. Shiro moved the shirt of his sleeve up and kissed down his arm. He paid attention to the bruises and markings on Keith’s skin. Each one was given special attention to until he reached his wrist. Shiro’s thumb stroked the soft flesh hidden there.

“I’m so proud of what you’ve done,” Shiro whispered into his palm.

Keith snorted. “I haven’t done anything special.”

“Keith, you were ready to give up _the_ knife that means a lot to you. For the sake of us and for defeating Zarkon.” He doesn’t need to say the next line to him. _For the sake of saving me_.

Because Keith would do anything for Shiro. Because he didn’t want him to fight for him when there were other things he could be fighting for. “It’s nothing.”

“No, it’s not nothing,” Shiro assured. He brought his hand up to cup Keith’s face. His thumb stroked his cheek and he leaned into the touch. “Everything you do is never for nothing, Keith.”

Keith let out a shuddering breath and buried his face into his hand. Shiro comforting him was what he needed after today. He hadn’t realized he needed it so much. Just having him standing before him and holding him is enough to wash away his feelings of self-doubt. And maybe the tiny bit of self-hated he felt.

“Shiro—“

“Don’t say anything.” Shiro pressed their foreheads together and Keith closed his eyes. “Come back to my room. Let me take care of you.”

“Okay.”

That night, Shiro kissed every bruise that Keith received during his trials within the Blade of Marmora. That night, Keith felt like he was back on Earth and things were back to normal. It was only for a short time, but it was all he needed.

 _Shiro_ was all he needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this one wasn't over 10K words. I like it, though! It felt nice to write something small. I hope you all enjoyed it! Get some cavities from this, please.


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